Read a full match report of the Champions League Group A match between Inter
Milan and Tottenham Hotspur at the San Siro Stadium on Wednesday Oct 20
2010, kick-off 19.45 BST.

Having overseen the miracle of Istanbul, Rafael Benítez stared on at the 'Bale-out’ in San Siro last night. It was — almost – an even more improbable, stunning comeback than Liverpool had achieved even if the stakes were lower.

Whereas that recovery back in 2005 against AC Milan in the Champions League final was an effort of a team, Tottenham’s remarkable resurgence against Inter Milan — Benitez’s club now – was due almost totally to the efforts of one man. Gareth Bale.

The young Welshman’s name will now resound around Europe after an astonishingly courageous hat-trick. He was an individual wrecking ball against one of the most rugged defences in the world.

Bale is a phenomenon. A 21-year-old force of nature down the flanks. Not just because of his precocity and power but because of just how quickly he has progressed.

Stunningly he did not even start a Premier League game until last January. Now he is one of the hottest commodities in Europe. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, well aware of the interest, insisted he was not for sale.

Maybe so. But whatever value can be placed on Bale, it increased hugely on Wednesday night. And this at the home of the European champions. And this against Maicon, regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world.

Inter have been linked with him but others will come calling. They have to.

This cannot be ignored. There was a ferocious bravery to Bale’s performance as well as a breathtaking quality. He sprinted 67 yards with the ball at his feet for his first goal. He took on all-comers.

However, as wonderful as he was, it should not be forgotten that two of his goals were gained in the last two minutes. It really was all over by then although, courageously, Spurs, 10-man Spurs for so long after Heurelho Gomes’ dismissal, had 'won’ the second period of the match three-nil.

Until then it could not have been worse. As good as Inter were, as resounding a riposte to the Premier League as this was for their coach — boring football, eh Rafa? — there was a culpability that Spurs cannot escape.

They were executed, eviscerated with Samuel Eto’o — two goals, two assists — merciless in his first-half assassination aided by the 18-year-old Coutinho. Against the blue and blacks, Spurs were beaten black and blue.

It took just 68 seconds. Spurs didn’t so much as punch the self-destruct button as whack it with a sledgehammer. They were carved open. The ball was fed into Eto’o by Coutinho and he bisected the backline — between Alan Hutton and William Gallas — for Javier Zanetti to run onto and, first time, side-foot his shot around Gomes.

As the net rippled, there was a collective shudder. Spurs shuddered again. Soon after and Wesley Sneijder, ridiculously afforded room, looked up and bisected the other flank. Benoît Assou-Ekotto was, as so often, caught napping infield and Jonathan Biabiany sprinted onto the through ball.

Gomes raced from goal and upended the young French winger. Penalty. In the confusion — and with Benítez distastefully motioning on the touchline for a dismissal – referee Damir Skomina showed a red card to Assou-Ekotto before consulting the official behind the goal who pointed out it was Gomes who had to go.

Redknapp sacrificed Luka Modric — was that wise? — and Carlo Cudicini picked the ball out of the net as Eto’o unerringly struck the penalty high to his right. It was the Cameroonian’s 17th goal of the season in 15 games for club and country.

He is in awesome form and demonstrated that sharpness in setting up Inter’s next goal. Biabiany found him on the area’s edge and Eto’o’s first-time pass picked out Stankovic. Spurs froze, he didn’t and a low right-foot shot beat a static Cudicini.

Redknapp was a picture of bewildered frustration on the touchline, hands deep in pockets. Opportunities had to be taken and when Peter Crouch rose to meet Aaron Lennon’s cross, at the far post, unshackled for once, it was desperate that he then headed over.

And so Inter, with Stankovic having already gone close with a half-volley, scored again. Again the simplicity was embarrassing with Coutinho, elusive and quicksilver, darting a pass into the penalty area for Eto’o to run onto with Gallas, once more, floundering. The striker poked his shot, it rolled round Cudicini and Eto’o had yet another goal. The defending was shocking.

Maicon then drew a double save from Cudicini as Assou-Ekotto stood frozen.

Spurs desperately needed respite and, suddenly, Bale provided it with a run of skill, power, determination, holding of Zanetti and Walter Samuel, down the left before he beat Julio Cesar with a low shot.

As the game drifted, he set off on another extraordinary run, again leaving Zanetti in his wake, to once more beat Cesar with a low left-footed cross-shot. A carbon-copy almost. A reproduction of perfection. Inter were stunned.

Incredibly, and in the 90th minute again, Lennon slalomed forward to set up Bale who drilled the ball low and true and beyond the goalkeeper once more for an astonishing hat-trick. What a second-half. What a performance.

It will be remembered for a long time. A night of embarrassment turned, by one man, into a night of glorious failure. “With 11 on the field it would have been a different game,” Bale said. Without him it wouldn’t even have been a game.